All Eyes

Everyone comments on Charlotte's big blue eyes.  She really is all eyes . . .

I wasn't having a ton of luck getting good shots.  Check some of these out:

I think she was getting a headache having to pose for all these pictures!

Oh, but look how sweet this one is!  I need my friend Courtney to help me capture this little muffin!!

Just catching up via some pictures.  Life here continues to be busy and fun.  Charlotte is in such a fun season.  She is learning new things, trading things from hand to hand, picking things up, rolling over, I've been using the word up when I pick her up and now when I say it she puts her hands up.  Adorable.  She is more demanding now though, not as content to sit wherever we put her.  She is always a trooper as we drag her around to different activities.

One afternoon I walked away to do some chores and realized it was silent and ran back to the room and found this:

Then this last weekend I thought this was super cute, love how she's clutching the blanket to her chest.

Sunday night I took advantage of the warm weather to do some planting and the girls hung out in the yard with Daddy.  They were looking at the cloud shapes.

A couple weeks ago one night Charlotte (normally a really good sleeper) decided she didn't want to go to bed.  This is about 10pm, we finally just let her play because she wasn't going to settle down.  She thought she was so funny.

I had to take a picture to capture her love handles when she lays on her tummy like this.

Charlotte has her first two teeth in now, they are so little and sweet.  She is very excited to try her rice crackers and sippy cup.  Although she doesn't want to hold the cup herself so you have to hold it for ever and ever and ever . . .

Addy has been practicing her reading like a champ, she's been able to read basically for a while, but she is really starting to read well.  Each night after we put her to bed she sits in her bed and practices her reading.  Its very fun to listen to her.  Before we left for San Diego we got her a leappad and this is where you can normally find her these days:

There are some really fun games - this girl loves to solve puzzles and so she can spend hours playing the different activities.  Addy and I have had some really fun times lately going on playdates while Scott was traveling.  And this last weekend we got to have some fun with a number of friends.  She still is insanely crafty and creative - always drawing or working on some new "vention". (invention)  Or . . . playing her leappad.

Addy got a new scooter and so I have to get some pics of her with her new helmet and barbie scooter.  She is pretty impressed with herself.  She is learning to ride it and soon will be cruising all over.  She is such a cautious girl that its easy to let her go and ride - she looks both ways, listens well and is very careful around cars.  Honestly, my real worry is her falling into the road while standing and waiting for a car to go by.  I assume Charlotte will not be like that . . . I don't know why, but I picture Charlotte being a little more of a risk taker.

We went to the park with Courtney and her 19 month old daughter Elyse - that girl has no fear.  And I soon realized Addy did not prepare me for this type of child.  She was always very cautious but Elyse was just going for it.  It was fun to watch and I bet she won't be nearly as shy as Addy was.  I remember playdates that Addy stayed on my lap for the whole thing and never ended up playing because she was so shy.  And then crying at the end because she didn't get to play.  Perhaps Charlotte will take a lesson from Addy and give Mommy and Daddy a break. :)  Why do I already think not??

Hope you all have a great start to your week!

San Diego

What a great week in San Diego.  So many things about it were great . . . hello, the weather!!  75 degrees and sunshine!  It was so great after this weather.

Here is a random review of our trip via pictures:

My parents blessed us with a great start to our trip.  They watched Charlotte so that Addy, Scott and I could have a special trip to Legoland be ourselves.  This was a super special treat for all of us.

Taking pictures of ourselves making funny faces is a great way to waste time in line.

I am such a dork - this was the bigger kid ride with real cars for the kids and we got Addy on it.  But at the last minute I started to panic it was too big for her and she was going to freak out.  I actually started to cry as we left her to fend for herself.  She was a little scared but did awesome.  It was a big moment for all of us.

The Easter Bunny found us down there and visited each night with some special gifts for the girls.

We rented a backpack to try it out while there.  I was dying to see how she looked so I kept taking pictures to see what was happening back there.

Charlotte loved the beach, she loved to watch the water and she really enjoyed mushing her toes in the sand.

Then she fell asleep and I spent at least an hour snuggling her in the warm sunshine while watching Addy and Scott play in the waves.  This for me was the most precious moment of the trip.  The breeze, the sunshine, Addy and Scott's laughs carrying to me, warm little chubby body snuggled in my lap.  Each time I looked down I would see the most adorable snuggly body, chubby cheeks, tummy and thigh right there.  So cute!  I hope that I never forget that moment, it was truly one of those moments I hope to go back to over the years to remember how blessed and lucky I really am!

Seaworld. Someone thought sitting the splash zone was a great idea.  We had a crying baby and a whining Addy when it was all done.

Addy took charge of the zoo and led us all around.  She was all about the maps and checking off where we went and what we saw.  The map is packed for tomorrow's show and tell at school.

Of course we had to find some mini-golf.  Luckily Charlotte snoozed through two rounds.

These are the flower feilds leading up to our resort on the hill - so beautiful.

This was my favorite animal - love seeing the California condors.

The resort pool - we spent a lot of time here!!

What a great week!  So nice to have the chance to hang out with the family and enjoy some vacation time.  San Diego was a great destination for us!  And thanks to my mom and dad for coming with us - it was a great time!  And thanks for sharing your photos.